Here are the most popular questions that we have received so far... Don't hesitate to send us yours, we will answer, for sure!
Where can I purchase your winches?
We have more and more dealers now. Click here to get to the dealer/distibutor page. We suggest that you contact them prior to visiting them to make sure they have the winch stock. You can also contact us directly at info@portablewinch.com. Also, if you know of any good businesses that might be interested, please, feel free to contact us at info@portablewinch.com to let us know.
Is it fast to get pieces after purchasing a Portable WinchTM?
All the related HondaTM engine parts are available at any HondaTM dealership, generally within 24 hours. The winch parts are available both through our dealers or directly from us. We ship any part orders quickly. Our objective: Only satisfied customers!
Which rope to choose 10 or 12 mm (3/8'' or 1/2'')?
Double braided polyester 3/8'' (10 mm) rope has a break strength of about 4850 lb (2200 kg). It should be enough in theory to pull the maximum output from our strongest winch (PCW5000) who offers 2200 lb (1000 kg) of pulling power but let’s consider the following:
- The knot in the end of the rope will reduce the rope strength by 30% in the best conditions. This leaves the rope with a low safety margin (4850 lb – 30% = 3395 lb) or (2200 kg – 30% = 1540 kg).
- More important is rope stretch. Polyester rope will stretch 12% at breakpoint. This means if you are using a 3/8'' (10 mm) rope at maximum winch capacity, you are about at 65% of rope capacity. This means that you will also be stretching about 60% of 15%, 9%. This means that if you have 100 feet (30 m) of rope and are trying to move a 2200 lb (1000 kg) load, you will stretch about 9 feet (2.7 m) of rope before the load starts moving. If you have 300 feet (91.5 m), that would be 27 feet (8 m)! So you end up with a great elastic band stretched up with nothing moving. If the winch stalls, you must release this tension, which can lead to dangerous situations. But it also less effective because the energy used to stretch the rope is not applied at the end of the rope for moving the load.
Why offer the 10 mm (3/8'') rope? Because some applications such as pulling a big game or a small cable don't require the full power of the winch. Since, in these applications, a long rope might be handy, the weight factor is also important! This is why we only recommend using 10 mm (3/8'') rope for small loads. 12 mm (1/2'') will also have a longer useful life because it can withstand more damage and wear before breaking.
Is the double-braided polyester rope durable?
As a matter of fact, it’s actually one rope braided on top of another. Which means that the outside core can be damaged without causing damages to the inside one. The security factor is about tree, so you can use it for a while before it’s not usable anymore. It’s hard to evaluate the lifetime of a rope, but for an occasional usage, we can safely say that it will last a few years.
What is the maximum skidding distance?
There is no maximum skidding distance, however, practically, it is better to make short pulls 164’ (50 meters) or less and move the winch. The main reason is that the rope will stretch, and the longer the rope, the more it will stretch. The energy used for stretching the rope is not applied at moving the load.
Our standard rope is a 1/2'' (12 mm) double-braided polyester rope, which will stretch approximately 12% to 15% at break point. Since we use it at approximately a 1/3 of its break point, it will stretch approximately 5% in use.
How would I use the winch to get the boat down the slope in a controlled way?
Lowering the unit: It can be done using the friction of the drum, with the winch not running. We recommend using the 85 mm (3-3/8'') large drum (PCA-1100), as its larger diameter provides more friction, so you can use only 2 wraps and control the load efficiently. For added safety, the self-locking pulley (PCA-1272) can be used but it requires that someone pulls on the rope attached to the locking cam to allow going down. The PCH1000 is also a great winch for lifting and lowering.
If the 4-stroke 50 cc engine were to tip over, is there anything to prevent oil from draining into the cylinder and carburetor? I know it is not likely, but that is the nature of the 4-stroke engines as I understand it.
Yes, you're right if the engine is left leaning on the front side oil can flow into carburetor and cylinder. However this is unlikely to happen in operation as it will more likely tilt from side to side because of the weight distribution. Only in transport is it important to prevent forward tilting in case of sudden stop or other event by securing the cargo.
How noisy is the 50 cc engine?
The Honda engine is a 4-cycle, so it is a lot less noisy than a chainsaw. The measured sound pressure level at operator position is 93 dB.
Can you tell me how big the gas tank of the 50 cc engine is and how much time can I expect out of a full tank.
The fuel consumption is 340g/kWh, and the engine generates a maximum of 1.8kWh. So a full tank of gas (petrol) (1.2 liters = 900 g) can power the winch continuously at maximum output for 1-1/2 hour approximately. But in reality, it’s impossible to work at full throttle 100% of the time which means that in reality, it’s approximately 3 hours that you could get. But in practice, we never were able to empty two gas (petrol) tanks in a day working in normal conditions since you will be starting and stopping the engine many times in a day.
Can the PCW5000 winch really pull 15'' x 20' (40 cm x 6 m) logs?
Yes, it is possible to pull such logs with the winch. The use of a pulley will increase the winch power. We invite you to visit our Tips and Helpful Advice section to see how to increase the power.
Is this equipment (PCW5000) prepared to skid logs with a diameter of around 3' 3'' (1 meter)? Is the diameter a restriction? As the weight restriction is around 2200 lb (1000 kg), if we want to skid a log with, let's say, 8000 lb (3635 kg), should we use two winches in parallel with one pulley at the load each? Can we do that or it is not advisable?
There is no restriction with diameter; however your logs are really big! The single line pull of the winch is 2200 lb (1000 kg); using a pulley it can pull 4400 lb (2200 kg). Using 2 winches in parallel is a possibility; using double pulleys will work as well but the speed will be reduced.
How can I get 10 000 lb (4544 kg) of power with the winch?
If you attach one pulley to the load, a second pulley and the end of the rope at the winch anchor point, you multiply the strength by 4, less the losses due to friction. However, it’s not always practical or safe to have the winch anchored to the same point as the rope end and the pulley. In that case, if you anchor the winch to another anchor point, the strength will be reduced depending of the angle. But it is more practical to have a single and a double pulley than two double pulleys.
I'm at 8400 feet (2560 m) elevation. My understanding is that 4-strokes loose power at elevation. Do you happen to know if there would be too much power loss at my elevation?
We have a few winches working at higher elevations in Colorado, and we have not received any complaint from the users. However, air density decreases approximately 3% per 1000 feet (305 m) of elevation, thus at 8500 feet (2593 m), the air is approximately 25% less dense than at sea level. This means there is less air entering the carburetor, altering the air/gas (petrol) mix ratio. This is equally true for 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines. The only way to retain the horsepower is to increase the amount of air (altering porting and carburetor size). Many shops specialize in this work for snowmobiles that work at high elevation. Running a standard engine (2- or 4-stroke) at high elevation will result in improper combustion and plug fouling. The common remedy is to change the gas (petrol) jet to a smaller one; and a local HondaTM dealer can probably fit the winch with the proper jet. But there will definitely be a significant loss of power; a portion of the power loss will be offset by the lower weight of objects at high altitude (lower gravitational pull). However, working with 1 or 2 pulleys will compensate the power loss. But again, we had no complaints so far.
My major doubt has got to do with the 4400 lb (2000 kg) figure. If the log stands on the ground and we skid it along the soil, the maximum weight we can drag is the 4400 lb (2200 kg)?
The weight can certainly be a problem. The rating for the PCW5000 winch is the force applied to the load, so it should lift approximately 2200 lb (1000 kg) at its peak capacity. If you are dragging, you are pulling the weight of the log plus you must factor in the friction. For example, a skidder will normally be able to pull approximately its own weight in payload, with logs suspended. But the skidder winch normally has more pulling capacity to overcome friction. And if the log comes against a root or a small stump, the winch will not be able to pull it (wire rope and chokers often break).
The same principle will apply to our winch. If you use a pulley to create some lift while pulling, it will move larger pieces; if you shape the log end to reduce friction or use the skidding cone, it will help too. The length of the log dragging will also affect its winchability.
So it is very difficult for me to say how this would work. One thing I know is that using blocks, you will be able to move them, but not as quickly.
How many pulleys can I use?
It does not matter how many pulleys you use, you can use the same rope to apply 2200 lb (1000 kg) directly, 4400 lb (2200 kg) with one pulley, or 8800 lb (4000 kg) with 2 double pulleys. The fact is that you end up with 2, 3 or 4 lines, so it is like having that many ropes pulling. You should however beware of the attachment of the pulley on the load. Rated shackles should be used when using double pulleys.
I have some questions about controlling the speed. My slope is not perfectly smooth, and there will be some obstacles, so one person will need to walk with the boat to correct its path, while another person operates the winch. It will be necessary to stop the movement for brief periods. I envisage that for hauling a log, one would set the speed of the wheel and control the movement of the log by regulating the tension on the rope. But in my case, where I will be hauling the boat uphill, there will always be tension on the line. So, to stop or slow the boat, would I stop or slow the speed of the wheel? And how does one do this? And can it be done while holding the line, (for example with a foot pedal) or will I need two people at the winch: one to hold the line and the other to regulate the speed.
Stop & Go on hillside: You raise a real concern, as you are pulling a rolling object uphill, there will always be friction on the drum when you stop pulling for realignment of the load. Therefore excessive heat could be generated which could cause rope damage or failure.
The simple way of solving this is to use a self-locking pulley (PCA-1272) at some distance in front of the winch. This pulley will take the load whenever tension is not applied to the rope (i.e. when you stop pulling on the rope), allowing stop/start motion. We can let the engine run at whatever RPM it's running and simply resume pulling the rope when ready.
Another possibility would be to purchase the PCH1000 pulling/lifting winch. This winch is equipped with a rope grabbing system that will hold the rope when you stop pulling. There is also a clutch, therefore, as soon as you stop pulling on the rope, the drum stops turning! See more in our products section or use our compare products tool to compare the different winches.
